Knowledge & News

​The DeLand (Quaker) Worship Group was formed in 1997 to meet the needs of Quakers and others in DeLand who were no longer comfortable in the more traditional, mainline denominations. It was dissolved in 2007, having never reached “critical mass.” Since then, Susan and I have been visiting mainline churches in the DeLand area, searching for a community with a message we could embrace.

I first heard about Collective when Peter Rollins spoke at Stetson. Having appreciated Peter’s talk about religion and theology, I attended his Saturday workshop the following day at Collective. In both talks, to use a Quaker phrase, “he spoke to my condition.”

The next day, Susan joined me for our first Sunday evening worship service at Collective. As we entered, we were warmly greeted and offered a cup of coffee. We appreciated the non-traditional furniture and its non-traditional arrangement. (In our Quaker tradition, chairs are arranged either in a circle, or in some other arrangement in which most of us can see each other). We noticed some friends who had been a part of the DeLand Worship Group.

Then we heard Collective’s mission statement, with its emphasis on “journey,” a core concept in our experience of Quakerism. The sermon (and theology) was also entirely consistent with that concept. And it was consistent with many of the beliefs and practices from our Quaker experience, most notably in the shared silence. In sum, we felt then, and we continue to feel, more comfortable at Collective than we have felt at any other DeLand area church.

We want to do whatever we can to support Collective's community and message. Making our recurring gift is just one way that we have made an impact on this community, and we look forward to helping in the future.

Come as you are. Sundays at 5pm

We value highly the metaphor of journey. We’re different people from different places and backgrounds, representing an intergenerational community, and we’ve traveled different paths. So, we agree not to make assumptions about the person across from us, next to us, or in conversation with us. We challenge ourselves to be sensitive, knowing this community includes a diverse group of people from life-long followers of Jesus, to people who are just now open to the idea that God might exist. We strive to avoid offense, ask good questions, articulate and explain our responses. We don’t assume fluency in bible, spirituality, or Church language, because we believe the message of Jesus is not for Christianity, but for humanity. So, we do everything in the spirit of love and grace.

Paid Professional Childcare Available during Sunday Services 1 - 5 years of age | Childcare 6 - 11 years of age | Collective Kids